Axie not eating, i know you've heard it before... but.

Rosie hasnt eaten in 2 weeks. He ate when he came home from the aquarium, but not since.

He is a full size adult (dark tips on the toes). He has had a spell in the fridge for three days a week ago.

Gringo is his tank mate and he is eating ok. 1 worm every day, few strips of beef thrown in for good measure (i've been trying different things to try to get Rosie to eat).

Rosie is very active. Lots of swimming, as i'm watching him now, he's having a cruise around their tank. He keeps going to the top of the tank then floating back down. The thing is he isnt floating up there, he's swimming up.

He hasnt passed anything (like a stone), there is sand in the tank and the tank test strips say the water is all good.

I guess my main concern is, how long can they go without food? And should i just keep trying the different food?

He seems happy, but i dont know how long he can go without eating... Any help would be great.

Mel

crasymonkey said:

Rosie hasnt eaten in 2 weeks. He ate when he came home from the aquarium, but not since.

He is a full size adult (dark tips on the toes). He has had a spell in the fridge for three days a week ago.

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Hi Crassmonkey,

May I ask why he was put in the fridge? The fridge does not encourage an axie to eat, quite the reverse. Fridge treatment is used if the axie is being treated for fungus, injury or heat stress.

crasymonkey said:

He hasnt passed anything (like a stone), there is sand in the tank and the tank test strips say the water is all good.

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Test strips are notorious for giving woefully inaccurate readings - I would change to the liquid test kits as they are far more reliable and retest the water.

Has your substrate always been sand? If it was gravel...I've known axies to keep a stone inside for two years...

crasymonkey said:

I guess my main concern is, how long can they go without food? And should i just keep trying the different food?

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An axie can go up to about 3 months without food - I would keep trying with earthworm and maybe some bloodworm? Soft but nourishing.

Also, how old are your axies? Perhaps the food portions you are trying to feed Rosie are too big for him to handle? A general guide is the food portion should be as long as the axies mouth is wide and about 3-5mm thick. If axie is a juvenile, try smaller portions. When adult axies are usually up to more challenging food portions.

Keep us in the loop as to how you go.

Hello Mel,

He ate when he came home from the aquarium, but not since.

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You have pretty much answered the question for yourself. You mentioned that axolotl is very active. This is not an indication that your axolotl is 'happy' because a full-sized axolotl is very much inactive. He is probably/definitely stressed out from the move, and just requires some time to adjust to the new surroundings.

He has had a spell in the fridge for three days a week ago.

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Fridging your axolotl would have reduced its metabolism and also the chances of it eating.

how long can they go without food? And should i just keep trying the different food?

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Axolotls can go without food for quite some time. I think the longest time period that I've ever come across was 3 months. And yes, trying your axolotl on different food(s) will encourage it to eat.

Jay.